It's been a strangely cool summer for Iowa, but that's a far better experience than the exceptionally dry summer in southern and central Texas. It's been so hot and so dry in Texas that the state could experience $3.6 billion in crop and livestock losses due to the drought. The national drought monitor shows a giant zone of "extreme" and "exceptional" drought in Texas -- the worst in the country -- and it includes 32 million acres of land. More than 200 public water systems in Texas are now under mandatory water restrictions, and the drought is causing conflicts over water use to flare up among neighboring communities. Though our municipal water supplies are often taken for granted, they are undoubtedly among the most essential features of modern life. Strategic, long-term planning for the security of community water supplies has to take into account the exceptional circumstances (like Texas's current drought) that can ignite furious political debate and, more importantly, threaten public health and safety.